mikebv

Its noticeable in Poland how teams generally dont mix.... I presume its because the fans might not be too impressed to see riders laughing and joking with an opponent when their team are getting hammered...

The BSPL should collectively get together and all share the costs and profits.. One generic style of T Shirt, Jacket, Scarves, Car stickers, Pens, Prog Boards etc with the individual clubs brand on each one to differentiate... Volume purchases should result in better margins... Individual clubs doing things on their own on a small level (however well meaning) is one of the issues the sport has... Maybe even use the US model of all sales revenue on merchandise being divided up between the clubs equally regardless of individual clubs sales? Meaning all share the money.. The US franchise system realises that wiithout opponents to compete against there are no competitions, and weak opponents can be brand damaging, which impacts all..

Great News... Maybe another DH against more closer opponents can also be arranged? Especially if the opponents are going for the play offs.. Could maybe charge a bit more? Say £25..?

For me Vince, it would be more 10 or so meetings per track over the 6 months from April to September (March if Easter falls then).. More meetings of course if the promotion feels they have the potential to be profitable.. 20 tracks (with the IOW), means a minimum 200 meetings, which is a huge amount of Speedway.. Some will say that 10 meetings isnt enough for the landlord but the counter argument is if you dont ask you wont know, and given the Covid world we live in, when better than now to discuss? And the fact is that even 100 matches per season at one venue still wouldnt provide anywhere near the money to the landowner that a housing estate built on the land would so that could be done at anytime.. Some individual as part of a "British Championship" with a round at every track, and a BIG prize fund, some "team racing" and some almost "Festival of Bike Racing" type meetings with Speedway, Grasstrack, MX racing, MX acrobatics, Pee Wee bikes, Quads, Karts etc... Plenty of time within meetings at each track to properly market it and get sponsors, which also means fans not expected to fork out more than a max two meetings per months salary.. One thing is for sure is that carrying on as we are surely can never be an option put on the table..

Interesting to read how many double up as something that struck me on the two occasions I have been to watch Speedway this season, (but also all the times I have seen it on Eurosport), is the "bonhomie" that exists in the pits with riders of opposite teams... Now, I completely understand that given the risks and the unique talent needed to compete, there will be lots of respect between "foes", but what I did notice was how many times opposition riders on both nights stood watching with their team mates from their "other" team even though riding against each other that night.. Now, with the best will in the world, human nature says that you are not going to risk injury (to either of you), by riding hard against a rider who will be sat next to you in the pits tomorrow night and maybe your partner in several races.. Rory Schlein got some criticism on here for his performance last night at Berwick on a 'damp' surface, however, he may be riding five for six times a week over the next month or so given the fixture congestion, so why would he take any undue risks? For both him and the other riders who could also be doing the same.. You dont earn in hospital and your next meeting may be a much better earner than the one you race in today... When the sport is set up solely for riders to ride as much as they can, then the fans can't moan when the riders protect that opportunity and dont take too many risks when simply riding a Speedway bike is risk enough..

Why would they want to stay? If I had a fair old drive home I too would be gone.. They have paid their money and done their bit....

British Speedway has literally hundreds of thousands of pounds (probably over a million), thrown at it each season... An amazing stat when you look at the result..

And when call offs are done so easily on a whim, it can only lead to conspiracy theories when teams maybe cannot get decent guest replacements for injured and missing riders... Can't get a decent guest? Possible chance of rain? Lovely coincidence.. Let's call it off... Just another bit of nonsense the sport really doesnt need.. Covers definitely work, as had been proven (again this weekend), so finding a way to make it happen should be the focus, not the barriers to it.. Maybe supporters clubs could get involved providing volunteers to lay and remove covers? And as you say Ian, similar to air fences, maybe an expenses only meeting could be ran to pay for them? So many postponed meetings could be ran on often perfect nights for Speedway with the report in the Speedeay Star stating "the damage had been done with the torrential rain in the days leading up to the meeting".. Giving spectators confidence that a meeting will take place is very important given the sports current situation, and, as you say, maybe a 'consequence' of one point each and no pay, for every call off would focus the minds of all a bit more..

One of the major issues for the sport (in this country) to overcome is "What actually is it?".. Shoe horning an individual sport into a team concept works only if those individuals are 'exclusive' to one team in each league. Eg Poland, Sweden.. Unfortunately what they do over here means that all sort of nonsense takes place to make up teams just to get a match on. Resulting in zero credibility or actual meaning. This then pushes away even the most committed fans over time who become disillusioned with it. (As let's be honest, if its meaningless why attend?) With, (the very best you can hope for, if these fans dont completely disengage), is the only occasional visit replacing their past regular attendance.. Leaving just those who "buy the team jackets" and accept what they get without comment, alongside those who just go along to watch "the racing", but have no emotional attachment... And unfortunately that will never be enough people to fund 7 Professionals all wanting plenty of money to pay for expensive equipment, (and often wanting twelve months salary for six months work).. 60 races worth of points money wont get covered by current crowd levels at too many tracks currently I would think. Bottom line, is Speedway needs to decide what it is.. A team sport. (And if so do it properly or not at all).. Or an individual sport that becomes a 'travelling circus' akin to BSB where the best we have to offer over here (with meetings ran for all riders of differing abilities, but each meeting only having riders of similar ability), racing against each other at tracks around the country.. Either way, the sport needs a proper competition, properly promoted and properly marketed...

To be fair, I do get the 'Poole outlook'.. I am old enough to remember when United got relegated in 1974 and going to away grounds in the 2nd Division the following year with sometimes over 25,000 other United fans and completely taking over grounds, towns and cities.. We just expected to win because of who we were.. That year, fortunately, we did win more than lose and went back up... I would imagine with Poole being the "Manchester United of Speedway" some of their fans will feel a sense of entitlement bordering on arrogance, however, regularly winning things can, and does, lead to that... Like having United in the 2nd tier that year. Having Poole in the 2nd Division can only be good business for the clubs they visit I would say.. (Except of course Poole fans wont run quite as amok at the stadiums as several thousand Reds did in those days).. Hope the weather plays nice today and Newcastle get 1000 or even more in attendance...

The long range forecast for October looks pretty poor.. (Not actually looked but probably is as it is October after all).... Therefore probably best to call off every October match now... Just in case.... Save travelling costs for the fans and rent payments to stadium owners, as well as travelling expenses for riders.. To be honest, next April isn't looking too clever either... (Probably)....

During Lockdown I watched plenty of old Berwick matches on YT and Complin and Makovsky certainly stood out.. So much so I wondered why there was talk of improving the track.. They certainly seemed to have little issue passing opponents..

But apart from all those who have already done it?

Some race Artem... Well done... Keeps things interesting.. Not just a gater then?

To be fair.. It is UK Speedway.. Hardly surprising is it? I am to be honest, given the clear track record and history, surprised anyone would plan in anything around the UK fixtures given so much can change at a moments notice.. Its brave people who do..

Fireman Phil... I believe that is his nickname..

I bet Woofy never has a go at his mechanic like Lambert did..

Dont think I have seen that before.. Fair play though to the ref... Freddie goes "too far" too many times..

I think the "local derby" angle and the s**t that Brum are in has superseded all other considerations.. Two meetings with (hopefully) decent crowds on the bounce may just mean they can keep going.. Not ideal obviously for those planning their Speedway watching in advance...

Fair play to the Brum promotion team.. Some 'nice' extras advertised.. It shows how easy it is to do something different without having to break the bank to do so.. Let's hope they can get the message out wider than just to those who would be there already.. Hope it goes well..

Very delicate I believe these days after those horrific injuries to them...

The affordable 'de facto' standard that it would appear all clubs could race at in the UK without the threat of closure... Or maybe one level up could be affordable? Championship Lite/NL plus?

There was a "push" several years ago with the BSPA (as they were at the time), getting the message out that you could earn "£3k to £4k a week" at the top level in the UK.... Didn't seem to inspire too many to come over it seems, but I do remember Craig Cook and (I think) Dan Bewley both being MX's initially in their youth...

Seem to remember he did like the grass.....

Good to see that the extra meeting that Troy had shows that all his issues were down to his lack of rides....